 Poster: A snowHead
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@skiingwithdemons, not quite ....
EN590 is the set of rules to do with diesel. And different countries have different rules.
In e.g. France, “diesel d’hiver” should be good down to -15. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_diesel_fuel (I did not know this till now  ).
In Italy, a car hired in e.g. Milan will often be filled with summer diesel and require additives or a couple of litres of petrol added to aid cold starting.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hmm. An interesting read (not that I understand it all). I was struck last week by the huge difference in temperature between the outside world (minus lots) and the covered garage - which was above freezing. I was glad I'd made the effort to put the chains on to get into the garage (the ramp is quite steep). I've not had any problems starting and I had the battery checked recently. But having read this I shall use premium diesel next time (I usually use the cheapest as I don't think my unrefined car can tell the difference).
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| pam w wrote: |
| But having read this I shall use premium diesel next time (I usually use the cheapest as I don't think my unrefined car can tell the difference). |
In any case don't trust the supermarket diesel if it is really cold.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@ulmerhutte, i didn’t suggest filling up with petrol, just adding a litre or so to prevent freezing...all you are doing is modifying the fractional mix.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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As @under a new name, says, dosing with petrol is very different to taking something close to a full tank when making a missfuelling error.
In those circumstances I understand that the manufacturer's official support advice (within their own support network) is to accept up to 25% petrol in a diesel tank and either to part drain and/or top up with diesel and run the vehicle, refilling at every opportunity with diesel to swing the balance back to normal.
In more extreme cases, to dose with two stroke oil to aid pump lubrication. These are both outside mixing petrol to avoid waxing though.
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In some parts of the UK of late IR's been close to or lower than -15C.
What do folk recommend here, then? Worth dosing a UK diesel when serious cold is likely or actual?
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@Grizzler, I’ve (touch wood) never needed to worry about waxy diesel in UK, despite frequent visits to in-laws who stay at c300mASL near Newtonmore - this last week, eg, it was -14 overnight and no issues. And that was with the car untouched all weekend from Thu pm to Mon early am. I tend to buy supermarket diesel in Edinburgh/ Dundee/ Perth.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@under a new name, +1.
The article posted is about mis-fuelling.
Adding half a gallon of 4* to 12 gallons of diesel has not yet knackered the engine on my landy, and the car is 30 years old now.
The landy though has quite a low compression ratio, never tried it in newer common-rail diesels.
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@WindOfChange, Never knowingly owned a diesel... I have a suspicion that the advice I quoted refers better to older machines not todays high tech engines.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| under a new name wrote: |
| @ulmerhutte, i didn’t suggest filling up with petrol, just adding a litre or so to prevent freezing...all you are doing is modifying the fractional mix. |
No probs. If it works for you, then go for it. As I said, I would not do it.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@ulmerhutte, Does it ever get that cold in Oz? 
When it's midnight on a freezing night, you've hired your car in Milan, the empty garage forevourts are littered with empty additive bottles and you want your car to start in the morning... what do you do?
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| under a new name wrote: |
@ulmerhutte, Does it ever get that cold in Oz?
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Actually, it does. 😀. At my home hill, it will get down to -5C quite often, and -10C on a few nights in any given season.
One way of telling how cold it got, is to look out for the flatbed trucks taking diesel cars off the mountain!
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You know it makes sense.
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There's something that doesn't add up about "winter" diesel in France from the perception often given on here.
I've often driven through the night from calais to the alps and quite normally seen temps down to -14/16 out across the Riems region and going down to Dijon, so what do they do there for diesel at low temps. I feel it's a misnomer about filling up in the alps to get something different. Are there any hard facts about supply chain that show the northern regions diesel to be less capable?
Since year 2000 we've taken VW diesel cars to alps during winter, never dosed fuel, never chased special diesel, never had a problem. Often we'd get down to Dijon area from UK only one tank of fuel, fill up there and that fuel would be used in the mountains.
Many diesel start problems ultimately come down to battery condition with higher reliance on glow plug supply volts etc at the most extreme temps. If your battery and charge circuit is not up to scratch it'll most likely get found out in these conditions. Many people don't consider how much is drawn out for charging devices from car and how that affects it if not used much.
Something of a self support kit would be a can of easy start, you spray a small amount up the air intake while turning the engine over to get it going if the glow plugs are in any way deficient.
https://www.toolstop.co.uk/index.php?option=shop&page=shop.product_details&product_id=74647&l=uk&utm_source=google&utm_medium=base&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkLTsnuuJ2AIVKb7tCh3iegJzEAQYDCABEgKvfvD_BwE
The above is a self support jump starter, it has no battery so non volatile method, can be charged from your own battery if it won't start the car and doesn't need to be pre charged or kept full to give you a resque means.
It could mean not having to call for assistance and waiting around for ages to get going if you are stuck.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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In addition to all the advice above. If you know it's going to get really cold, park in a sunny spot, or think about using an underground garage.
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FAQ
